James Martin
Senior Executive Water Advisor
Expertise
✦ Leadership
✦ Institutional Change
✦ Risk Management
✦ Operational Efficiency
✦ Strategy Development
✦ Benchmarking
Key Leadership Roles
✦ CEO – Ovens Region Water Authority (Victoria)
✦ MD – North East Regional Water (Victoria)
✦ Interim CEO – Southern Water (Tasmania)
✦ Project Manager – Northern Tasmanian Water & Sewerage Reform Program
Jim’s career in the Water Industry began in 1980 when appointed Manager of the Bright District Water Board and Sewerage Authority. The Kennett Government instigated water reform in 1994 by merging water authorities from approximately 140 water authorities to 15 regional authorities within Victoria. Jim as CEO of the newly created Ovens Water Corporation successfully amalgamating seven regional centres into one corporation.
In 1997, as CEO of the newly formed North East Water and led the merger of the former Ovens Water and Kiewa Murray Water.
Upon his retirement in 2008, he took up the offer of project managing the formation of Ben Lomond Water in Tasmania.
In 2009, Jim returned to Tasmania to act as interim CEO of Southern Water.
In 2019, Jim at the request of Deloitte NZ presented to the Department of Internal Affairs New Zealand (DIA) of the Institutional arrangements he had experienced with the Victorian and Tasmanian Water Reform process.
Since 2013, Jim has been chair of the Water Industry Operations Association of Australia. WIOA runs conferences around Australia and promotes improved skilling of operational staff in the Australian Water Industry.
Jim’s passion is to promote the success of Water Institutional Reform and he says, “It really works, it self-funds water quality improvement and improved environmental outcomes, while at the same time creates a new economy and instigates successful careers”.